


Prince of Earth, Prince of Fire

by old_and_new_friends



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Getting Together, Implied/Referenced Sexual Content, M/M, Multi, Open Relationships, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Relationship Negotiation, Shopping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 19:47:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28961925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/old_and_new_friends/pseuds/old_and_new_friends
Summary: Mako thought his day would go normal, as normal as a day watching Wu could go. Instead General Iroh knocks on the door, and throws everything Mako knows into chaos.Mako just wants to know what he did to be stuck with two Princes.
Relationships: Iroh II/Mako (Avatar), Iroh II/Prince Wu (Avatar), Mako/Prince Wu (Avatar), Mako/Prince Wu/Iroh II (Avatar)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	Prince of Earth, Prince of Fire

**Author's Note:**

> I know this ship only seems to exist for like four people but it's cute.
> 
> This was originally called the Princes are Scheming but when the story was done the title didn't really fit the tone.
> 
> Warnings: Heavy innuendo

Mako was reading the paper as he slowly ate through his breakfast. It was the only time of the day he currently had to himself, and Mako used it to prepare for the chaos that would come later. Wu was still asleep, as the Prince didn’t usually start his day until eleven at the earliest.

His calm morning was interrupted with a knock on the door. He looked up from his seat at the dining table and glance at the door. Most official visitors would have a preplanned appointment with Wu, while the hotel staff knew not to disturb the suites while Wu was asleep. Which meant it was an official emergency or a house call, which Wu didn’t seem to get. 

Mako moved over to the door and pulled it open. It took him a moment to recognize the man on the other side. He wasn’t used to seeing him out of uniform.

“Detective Mako,” General Iroh said, “Is Prince Wu there?”

“Ah, yes,” Mako said, backing slightly away from the door to allow the General entrance. “He’s probably still asleep though.”

“That won’t be a problem,” General Iroh assured, slipping into the suite.

Mako turned to follow him, wondering if he should stop the other man, particularly when the General walked straight into Wu’s room. There was a high-pitched squeal and Mako ran into the bedroom behind him.

Surely, General Iroh shouldn’t be a threat to the prince.

Mako wasn’t quite sure what to make of the scene in front of him. General Iroh was bent oddly over the side of the bed as Wu hugged him.

“Firecracker,” Wu said. “It’s been forever!”

“It’s been seven months,” the General said, pulling away.

“Um,” Mako said, drawing their attention, “do I need to get rid of him or is he okay to be in here?”

“No, no,” Wu said, waving Mako off. “Iroh is always allowed in. We go way back to childhood.”

Mako looked between the two skeptically. Iroh looked way older than Wu. “Um, how? General Iroh is like thirty something isn’t he?” Mako asked.

Wu burst into laughter as General Iroh frowned. “I’m only two years older than Wu,” he said. “I’m twenty-five.”

“Oh,” Mako said, rubbing his neck, “sorry.”

“It’s fine,” General Iroh said, waving Mako’s worries away. The slight furrow of his brow said otherwise but Mako wasn’t going to argue with him.

“Not all of us are baby faced twenty-year-olds, Mako,” Wu joked.

Mako looked at him in disbelief. “Who are you calling baby faced?” Mako asked.

“Yeah,” General Iroh said, with a laugh, “who are you calling baby faced?”

“Never mind that, what brings you here, Hotman?” Wu asked, standing from the bed. If General Iroh cared about Wu’s half-dressed form, he didn’t show it.

“President Raiko had us benched here until Kuvira handles everything in the Earth Kingdom,” General Iroh said. “He doesn’t want us underfoot, so that, in the case something goes sideways, the UF can’t be blamed. I figured instead of lazing around on my off days, I’d find something to do.”

“Something to do, huh?” Wu asked, sending a suggestive look over his shoulder.

General Iroh rolled his eyes. “Not like that, or well not yet anyway,” he replied.

Mako looked between the two, every interaction between the further confusing him. Wu seemed to pick up on Mako’s awkwardness.

“Iroh and I have had a friend with benefits arrangement since we were younger,” Wu said, pulling out something to wear. “It’s been getting harder and harder to meet up over the years but I’ve been Iroh’s dame in this port since I started college in the city.”

General Iroh snorted slightly. “You’re my only dame in any port,” he said. “Don’t go spreading lies about me.”

“Well, how flattering,” Wu said, moving to the bathroom. Mako followed Wu, knowing if he didn’t Wu would complain. He was surprised to see General Iroh do the same but he supposed if they were telling the truth it wouldn’t be too odd.

General Iroh hopped up on the counter top as Wu slipped into the shower.

“So, something to do,” Wu said, over the sound of running water. “Well, you’ve come to the right place, my friend. As soon as I’m presentable we can go tear the city down.”

General Iroh chuckled slightly at that. “Republic City barely survived our teen years, not sure it’ll make it through our twenties,” he said, before turning to Mako. “How have you been? I’ve been hearing some interesting things about you.”

“Oh?” Mako said, slightly worried. “What kind of things?”

“The good kind of things,” the General said. “Aunt Lin told me a fair bit when I saw her the other day. You’re apparently really good at catching triads.”

“Yeah,” Mako said. He calmed down slightly at the General’s reassurance. “I know how they think.”

Mako didn’t explain further then that but the General nodded.

“Mako’s amazing!” Wu said through the shower. “He’s the best bodyguard ever. He’s the one who solved that bombing case a year or so ago and he helped take down the Red Lotus group.”

Wu’s voice took on a weird tone as he said the last bit. Mako turned his head towards the shower and noticed General Iroh do the same. 

“Well, I’m very grateful for that,” General Iroh said. “The Forces had been pulled back to guard Republic City at the time in fear of another attack. At least, that’s what I hear. I wasn’t really there. My mother called me home after, well, after.”

General Iroh glanced at the shower curtain briefly but Wu had started signing slightly and likely hadn’t heard him.

“It was nothing,” Mako said, looking down. Nothing but nightmares anyway.

The water shut off, which was the only warning Mako got before Wu threw open the shower curtain. Mako looked away to give Wu his privacy. He noticed General Iroh didn’t, thought the man also kept his eyes firmly on Wu’s face.

“How long have you two been friends again?” Mako asked.

“Since I was seven so, nearly twenty years,” General Iroh answered.

“Give me a hand with drying my hair buddy?” Wu asked.

Mako moved to do it, only to notice General Iroh had done the same.

Wu looked between the two with great amusement. “I was talking to Mako,” he said, “but I could certainly get used to having two firebenders at my beck and call.”

General Iroh made a face at him before running his hand through Wu’s hair and drying it as he went. The results were a spiky monstrosity on top of Wu’s head.

“Iroh!” Wu yelled. “Fix it.”

“Looks fine to me,” General Iroh replied, laughing as Wu whined at his reflection.

Mako sighed and moved to fix Wu’s hair for him, knowing they would be here forever if he left it to Wu. He was surprised to find General Iroh handing him the products in the proper order. He supposed Wu really did have two firebenders trained to his habits.

Mako wasn’t too sure how he felt about that.

As Wu’s bodyguard, Mako didn’t have much to do on their outing other then watch his back, which was what he normally did. Only this time it was slightly odd, because watching Wu meant watching General Iroh as well. It also meant listening to their conversations.

“So, then she called me rude and stepped on my foot,” Wu exclaimed. “Can you believe that?”

“Yes,” General Iroh replied. “You are rude.”

“Excuse me?” Wu asked. “I’ll have you know I am a delight.”

“You are rude,” General Iroh repeated slowly. “It’s a natural fact of your personality, that you sometimes just blurt things out or do things without thought to other people’s feelings on the matter. I don’t mind it, others do.”

Wu huffed. “Do you like me, Mako?” Wu asked, fluttering his eyelashes.

Mako looked down at him. “I think you’re rude,” Mako said, turning away so the other couldn’t see his smile. General Iroh laughed at that as Wu pouted.

The truth of the matter was that Mako found Wu to be a very rude at times, particularly when the other invaded his personal space without asking, but he wasn’t sure if he liked Wu or not. Wu could be melodramatic and didn’t pay much attention to what he said to who but it wasn’t a malicious thing. Wu was just very, very oblivious to others. The other man was just a bit much for Mako to handle on his own sometimes.

General Iroh being around was helping somewhat. Wu had two people to drape himself over dramatically now, which gave Mako a break from all of the theatrics.

“How’s college going?” General Iroh asked. “You haven’t said anything, which is weird as usually those are the stories you tell first. Come on, Wu, I didn’t go to college. I have to live the college party lifestyle through you.”

Mako stared at Wu in question. Wu didn’t attend college from what Mako had seen.

“Oh, I dropped out,” Wu said, casually.

General Iroh paused slightly before jogging a bit to catch up. “Why?” he asked, staring at Wu with concern.

“I don’t need a college degree to run the Earth Kingdom,” Wu said. “I only went to college because my Aunt told me to.”

“Well, a degree certainly wouldn’t not help run a country,” General Iroh said. “Wu, you were so close, this would have been your last year. Why waste all that time?”

“I don’t want to,” Wu said, sharply. Mako had never heard him talk like that before.

“All right,” General Iroh placated, holding his hands to the side.

There was a lull in the conversation after that. It was only broken when Wu grabbed the General’s arm to drag him into a store.

“I need a new suit,” Wu said, tugging General Iroh behind him.

Mako took the time to further observe the two men. He really couldn’t have found two people more different, both in appearance and personality.

Wu was warmer in completion and personality. Wu wasn’t one to stay in the shadows and had a presentation about him that left the room’s attention firmly on him. Between his warm brown eyes, his overly exuberant personality and his very friendly demeaner, Wu couldn’t be more different from his childhood friend.

General Iroh wasn’t necessarily cold, but there was an air of seriousness around him. He held himself straight and his features were sharper, like most from the Fire Nation. He had a sharper sense of humor that relied heavily on sarcasm and innuendo. It reminded Mako of General Iroh’s supposed mentor Bumi, though less jovial and ever so slightly biting.

As Wu started talking about people the two of them knew, Mako realized General Iroh was kind of rude too. Though less in an oblivious fashion like Wu and more in an intentional and directed way. The General seemed to hold grudges and had a sharper tongue with some of those mentioned more than others.  
It was certainly an interesting dynamic to watch.

“Ugh,” Wu said, “can you believe so many people showed up wearing that to Annual Republic City Art Gala?”

“Yes,” General Iroh replied, barely glancing at the outfit Wu was pointing to. “The socialites in this city are a bit too concerned with fashion and the newest it factors to show off.”

He caught Mako’s eye in the mirror. “With notable exceptions,” he said, quickly. “How is Ms. Sato?”

“Asami is doing well, last I heard from her,” Mako said, simply. Truthfully, he didn’t actually know. They haven’t spoken since Korra left.

“Now that’s a dame,” Wu said, pointing back at Mako.

“One out of your league,” General Iroh said, turning Wu back around.

“Jealous?” Wu joked.

“Very,” General Iroh replied. Wu laughed but something about the General’s tone told Mako he was more serious than he probably intended.

Mako continued to watch them as Wu pulled a suit down and practically shoved General Iroh into a dressing room. The General stuck his head out a few minutes later and jerked it towards Mako as he said something.

Wu glanced over at Mako slightly before turning back to the other. He shook his head and General Iroh shrugged before pulling back into the dressing room.

Mako felt his mouth go slightly dry as General Iroh threw back the curtain of the dressing room and stepped out still buttoning the sleeves. He had always noted the General’s relative attractiveness and seeing him in street clothes this morning had made him appear more down to earth, but what he was wearing now made Mako realize just how attractive the other man was.

Those United Forces uniforms were less flattering than he originally thought they were.

“You’re buying it,” Wu said, turning the General in a circle. “You are definitely buying it.”

“If you’re sure,” General Iroh said, seemingly not caring either way.

“Mako, tell him he looks nice in this,” Wu demanded. “He’s so hard-headed about clothes.”

Mako raised a brow at Wu before turning back to the General. “You look nice but I doubt you needed me to tell you that,” Mako said, only realizing what that sounded like after he had said it.

“Well, then majority rules, I guess I have to get it,” General Iroh said, looking at him oddly. “Though I could have sworn we were shopping for Wu.”

“I may have tricked you,” Wu said, winking playfully at Mako as if they were in on a joke. If they were, Mako missed the punchline.

Mako already expected it to happen but that didn’t mean he wasn’t still confused as to how he always ended up carrying Wu’s bags. At the very least he wasn’t alone in doing so, as General Iroh was also carrying entirely too many bags of clothes, only one of which was actually his.

“Gosh,” Wu said, “I should have done this ages ago. I always knew shopping with one big tough firebender was the way to go but having two of them? I was able to get twice as much.”

“Joy,” Mako said, dropping the bags on the floor of the living room. “You do know I’m your bodyguard, right? Not your butler? What would you have done if someone tried to kidnap you and General Iroh and I were covered in shopping bags?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Wu said. “Iroh catch me!”

“Wait no,” General Iroh called, as he tried to drop the bags and grab Wu at the same time. They both went crashing to the floor.

“Yeah, reassuring,” Mako said, helping the General back to his feet.

“That worked better in my head,” Wu said. “Are you okay, firecracker?”

“I’ve punched a bomb and made it out the other side,” General Iroh said, fixing his pant leg. “I can take the weight of a hundred-pound man landing on me.”

Mako stifled a laugh.

They pushed all the bags to the side for someone else to deal with before settling into the living room.

Wu and Iroh took the sofa as Mako took the chair in the corner.

Mako still had nothing better to do than watch them, but now out of the public eye it was a bit uncomfortable.

There was a softness to their interactions now, that had been missing during their outing. Wu had practically settled into the General’s lap.

They laid like that for a while talking quietly to one another. Occasionally General Iroh’s eyes would lift to bore into Mako’s own. Mako couldn’t tell if it was a bid for privacy or something else but it always left a swooping feeling in his stomach.

If the General wanted him to leave, he could just say so.

“Are you leaving or staying?” Wu asked.

General Iroh gave Wu a once over. “Staying,” he said, pulling Wu into a kiss.

Despite having heard them describe their relationship as friends with benefits that morning, Mako was still surprised to see it.

Mako couldn’t quite tear his gaze away as Wu deepened the kiss. He knew that was probably his cue to leave but something kept him rooted in his chair.

Wu hummed as he pulled back. “Good,” he said, pulling Iroh towards his bedroom.

“Woah, wait,” Mako said, rushing into the room.

“What?” General Iroh asked. Mako couldn’t quite tell if the man was irritated with him or not. “Are you joining?”

“What?” Mako squeaked. “No, my stuff is in here.”

“Why?” General Iroh asked looking between the other two. Mako recalled the General’s tone when admitting he was jealous and backed up a bit. The General was definitely irritated with him.

“I’m his bodyguard and Wu felt more secure if I slept in here,” Mako said. “I stopped fighting him over stupid things like two days in, so arguing over more importing things would be more effective.”

“How’s that working for you?” General Iroh teased.

“Not well,” Mako said, grabbing a night’s worth of stuff to take to the guest room. He was quick to get out from under the General’s eyes. Mako knew how some firebenders could get with relationships. Possessiveness and hot-headedness weren’t a good mix but it was something firebenders were known for. He wouldn’t have expected it from General Iroh before today, but after, it seemed as likely as anything else.

Wu shut the door behind him and Mako tired not to think too hard on what was going on behind it. It wasn’t his business who Wu slept with.

Mako had simply become too accustomed to having Wu’s full attention. This might just be a blessing in disguise as it gave Mako a break from constantly being surrounded by Wu. Technically, Mako didn’t even have to watch him tonight as the General could surly handle anything that happened.

That didn’t make sleeping in the guest room any less lonely, nor did it erase the occasional inappropriate thought that crossed Mako’s mind. General Iroh was a very attractive man and it was all too easy for Mako to imagine what enthralled Wu. Add that to the odd feelings Mako was ignoring about Wu and Mako’s mind drifted just a bit too often.

Mako shook himself. 

It wasn’t his business, so then why did Mako want it to be?

Mako hadn’t meant to hear them. In all honesty, he had expected them both to be asleep. He had never known Wu to wake up so early but he should have known that General Iroh as a firebender would have woken with the sun.

It had just been vague muttering between them that Mako could ignore, and then Mako heard his name.

“What’s up with you and Mako?” General Iroh asked.

Mako’s heart stopped. This was exactly what he wanted to avoid and now General Iroh was mad at him for existing near Wu.

“Not sure,” Wu said. “Sometimes I think he likes me, then other times I think he wants to throw me out the nearest window.”

“Throw you against the nearest wall more like,” General Iroh said with a laugh. Mako titled his head and leaned closer to the door. General Iroh didn’t sound mad when he said that.

“Why do you want to know, anyway?” Wu asked.

There was silence for a while.

“I know you like him,” General Iroh said. “I know what your joking flirting looks like and I know what your serious flirting looks like. You’re serious flirting with him. You like his attention on you, just as much as you like mine.”

“Is that a problem?” Wu asked. “We agreed to keep things open a long time ago, firecracker. You’re the one who said exclusively dating a military man was hard and you didn’t want to do that to me.”

There was more silence before General Iroh broke it.

“What would you do, if I told you the only person that I’ve slept with in the past five years, has been you?” General Iroh said.

“Why would you tell me that?” Wu demanded. His voice was strained but harsher then Mako had ever heard it.

“Because I love you,” General Iroh stated, “and I want to know if you could possibly love me too.”

The room fell silent for a long time, so long Mako nearly left thinking nothing would happen.

“I already do,” Wu said. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

“I don’t know,” General Iroh said. “I was scared you didn’t want something more and I’d lose the little I have.”

“Is that why you brought up Mako?” Wu demanded. “Is it because you thought with him around, you’d lose it anyway? I hope you know this puts me in a very weird situation. I like Mako a lot, Iroh. I can’t just erase those feelings because you suddenly told me this. I know you and Mako don’t think I take things seriously but I also have my country to think of and dating the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation doesn’t look good.”

“That’s not what I said,” General Iroh objected. He was loud enough that Mako could practically see the two of them freeze on the other side of the door.

Mako slipped away, before one of them opened the door to double check no one heard that. He made himself at home in the kitchen to have his meltdown.

General Iroh was in love with Wu and Wu, well, wasn’t quite in love with Mako.

Mako didn’t know what to do with that information.

He liked Wu too, sometimes, though other times the man absolutely drove him nuts. Wu’s quite admittance though gave Mako pause. Wu was thinking about the Earth Kingdom, even in small things like who he might date. Mako had figured he didn’t really care much.

He wondered what other things Wu might be hiding.

Mako startled as someone appeared in the kitchen doorway.

“You okay, detective?” General Iroh asked, slipping into the room.

Mako swallowed slightly, and hoped it didn’t look like he had just been pacing around the room.

“Yes, it was nice having a bed to myself for once,” Mako lied.

General Iroh hummed. “It was nice having someone to sleep next to,” he said. “I’ve been away for a while. It can get lonely.”

“I guess,” Mako said. 

He wondered what the two men had spoken about once he left, that had the General in the kitchen and Wu nowhere to be seen.

“Is Wu awake yet?” Mako asked, as if he didn’t already know. “He normally sleeps till eleven.”

“He’s awake, though grumpy,” General Iroh said. “He’s getting a shower.”

Mako nodded.

“Can I ask you something, Mako?” General Iroh asked.

“Um, sure?” Mako said, hoping it wouldn’t be about Wu.

“Can I borrow some clothes for today?” he asked. “Wu wants to go to a spa and get smoothies but the only thing I have to wear are the clothes from yesterday and the suit I just bought. Neither are ideal.”

“Wu will be wearing a suit,” Mako pointed out.

“And more power to him for it,” General Iroh said, “but it’s not for me.”

“Sure,” Mako said, hesitantly, “I’ll be right back with something.”

General Iroh nodded and moved over to the cabinets to look for food. He’d be disappointed as Wu always ordered breakfast.

Mako didn’t really know how well his clothes would fit the General, who was shorter than Mako but also more built in the shoulders and chest. He also wasn’t sure the General would want to wear Mako’s clothes. They weren’t as worn down as his clothes used to be but they also weren’t very trendy.

“Here,” Mako said, returning to find General Iroh glaring at the cabinets.

“Do you two not eat food?” he asked, taking the shirt and pants from Mako. “Thank you.”

“Wu can’t cook, so he doesn’t buy food like that,” Mako said.

“Can you cook?” General Iroh asked.

“Yeah, the basics,” Mako replied.

“So, can I,” General Iroh said.

Mako squinted at him slightly, trying to figure out what that had meant when the General continued.

“We should teach him,” he joked. “Make sure he can take care of himself if he ever finds himself without one of his firebenders.”

“I guess,” Mako replied, more then confused at the General’s behavior. Every time he thought the General was taking a shot at him out of jealousy, he turned around and either said something different or made a joke about it. It didn’t match with the venom filled, “very,” the man had given the day before in response to Wu liking Asami.

Before the two men could continue their odd, maybe hostile, conversation, Wu returned and wrapped himself around General Iroh.

Mako supposed that answered the question as to what happened after he left.

Mako tired to tell himself he wasn’t disappointed about it.

Mako was giving up on ever understanding Wu and General Iroh. The two men made absolutely no sense.

They day had started relatively normal, with Wu ordering them breakfast. The only difference was the addition of General Iroh now eating at the bar with them.  
Mako had assumed Wu and the General were now exclusive, as the two were still relatively close even after General Iroh’s love confession. Now he wasn’t so sure, as Wu had flirted with Mako right in front of the General. Even more oddly, he hadn’t seemed to care either.

Mako had written it off as his imagination at first, but the day only got progressively stranger.

Wu had ended up in the middle of the back seat of the car and, in his effort to place his arm around Wu’s shoulder, General Iroh’s hand had rested against Mako’s. There was a slightly heat where the General’s hand met Mako’s shoulder. Mako had glanced slightly at the General but he had been looking out the window as if nothing was wrong.

Mako had left it.

The spa had been the most concerning.

Mako had gotten more than used to the occasional nudity with sharing a suite with someone as shameless as Wu, but General Iroh was even worse. Mako supposed it had something to do with being from the Fire Nation where it was so hot but the General seemed to have a war on clothing.

Mako had joined them in the sauna, not really having much choice and despite all the room, had ended up sat between the two men. Mako thought at first maybe Wu was trying to distance himself from Iroh but the General had been the last one to sit down and could have easily sat next to Wu.

Instead, Mako was in the middle and was hyper aware of where the two men were touching him. The General’s leg was pressed slightly to his while Wu’s hand was accidently brushing his back from where he had his elbow resting on the seat behind Mako.

It wasn’t fair. Mako was trying to accept that the two were together now, and that whatever might have been happening between him and Wu wasn’t a thing. It didn’t help when the man Mako sort of liked and a man Mako found extremely attractive wouldn’t stop touching him.

When they got smoothies, Mako breathed a sigh of relief as Wu sat tucked up under General Iroh’s arm, rather than once again pinning Mako between the two men. He’d rather watch the two be lovey-dovey with each other than sit between them while they did so.

Then as their smoothies were placed down on the table, Mako felt a leg slide up against his own. He glanced across the table and narrowed his eyes. One of them was trying to play footsie with him and it said a lot about the craziness of the day that Mako didn’t automatically know which one.

He tried to glance under the table and the leg slipped away.

“Are you okay, Mako?” General Iroh asked.

Mako couldn’t pinpoint anything suspicious in his tone but that didn’t mean Mako didn’t suspect him.

“I’m fine,” Mako replied. “Just getting tired. It’s been a long day.”

“We went to a spa,” the General pointed out. His head was tilted in question.

“Hey,” Wu objected, “looking your best can be tiring.”

“Oh, is that it?” General Iroh joke, before turning back to Mako. “Seriously are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Mako said, “I just think we should go back to the hotel after this.”

“Alright,” General Iroh replied, trading a concerned look with Wu.

Mako frowned, once more wondering where the jealous attitude of the morning and night before was. General Iroh was infuriatingly difficult to get a read on.

“General, can I ask you something,” Mako asked.

“Um, sure but you know you don’t have to call me General off duty, right? You can call me Iroh,” General Iroh said.

“Do you like me?” Mako asked instead of addressing the man’s statement. “I can’t tell.”

General Iroh looked across at him in question. “Like you like what?” he asked. “I certainly don’t dislike you. You’re an okay guy but I don’t know you that well, why?”

“I don’t know,” Mako said. “Sometimes you just look at me oddly and I feel like you’re mad at me.”

“No,” General Iroh said. “I haven’t been mad at you at any point that I’ve been here. I’m sorry I made you think that.”

“No,” Mako said, trailing off slightly. He wished he hadn’t brother asking. “It’s fine. I’m just being stupid.”

“It’s not stupid if I’ve been making you uncomfortable,” he said. “That wasn’t my intention.”

“I know, I’ve just been reading you wrong, that’s on me,” Mako said, trying to get the General to just drop the subject.

General Iroh opened his mouth but was silenced by Wu pulling him into a kiss.

“Mako’s fine but I’m not,” Wu said, “pay attention to me.”

Wu pulled the General into another kiss and winked awkwardly over at Mako. Mako smiled slightly, realizing that Wu had his back.

By the time Wu pulled back from the second kiss, General Iroh seemed to have forgotten the previous conversation all together, though he did glance over at Mako briefly.

It was that heavy gaze again, the one Mako had originally labeled as hostile. He still didn’t know what to make of it.

He still didn’t know what to make of any of what was going on.

When they arrived back at the suite Mako moved to hide in the guest room but was stopped.

“Mako,” Wu said, “we want to talk to you about something.”

“Oh, can it wait till morning?” Mako asked, really wanting to get away from the new and confusing couple.

“Not really,” General Iroh said, before shrugging slightly. “I mean it can but it’s probably best if it didn’t.”

Mako sighed before sitting in the arm chair as the General and Wu took the couch. “What?” Mako asked.

“We realized over smoothies that we may have been making you uncomfortable,” General Iroh said. “As I said before that wasn’t our intention, but we did have an intention.”

“Iroh and I are together now,” Wu said, “somewhat exclusively with each other.”

“I know,” Mako said, quickly. He didn’t want them thinking he was going to cause issue with their relationship. “I may have overheard your conversation this morning.”

“Oh, so you already know what this is about,” General Iroh said. There was another frown on his face as his brows furrowed. “I guess you aren’t interested than?”

“No, don’t worry about it,” Mako said. “I mean yes, I like Wu but I won’t get in between what you have, it’s a lot of history.”

“In between?” Wu asked. “Mako what do you think we’re asking?”

Mako looked between the two. “I’m not stupid, General Iroh’s a jealous person. I saw it yesterday while we were out. Now that you two are exclusive he’s been feeling territorial. So, I’m telling you I’m backing off,” Mako said.

“No,” General Iroh said, shaking his head, “that’s not it at all. Wu and I aren’t telling you to back off. I’m not staking territory claim over Wu. I’m not that possessive. Wu can do what he wants.”

Mako blinked at him. “I don’t understand,” he said softly.

General Iroh and Wu traded a look before the General gestured for Wu to do the talking.

“I guess you didn’t hear the full conversation this morning,” Wu said. This was the most serious Mako had seen him. “Mako, I like you a lot and I’ve not been able to pin down how you feel about me. Iroh and I have been in love with each other for years even if we only spoke about it today. Iroh doesn’t know how he feels about you but he thinks you’re extremely attractive and interesting enough.”

“If you’re not against it,” General Iroh said, “we want to try out a poly relationship with you. I’ve never been in one before, but apparently Wu has, though that was news to me this morning. I’m willing to try, even if you and I don’t have romantic chemistry, I’m still willing to let you and Wu date if that does work out. There are different ways to go about it, we just have to figure out which one works, if you’re willing. Wu and I have had an open relationship for years and while I want a bit more exclusivity from him, it’s still somewhat tentative for now.”

Mako looked between them for a moment.

“You’ve both been trying to seduce me all day, haven’t you,” Mako asked.

“A bit,” Wu admitted. 

Mako looked between the two. He might regret this. He wasn’t giving it the usual thought he would to something like this, but they both seemed sincere in what they were saying and Mako found he wasn’t opposed himself.

“Okay,” Mako said.

“Okay?” General Iroh asked.

“Okay!” Wu said. “Let’s celebrate!”

He ran off to get some fancy wine and General Iroh traded an amused glance with Mako.

Wu ended up drinking most of it himself, as Iroh and Mako had only had the one.

When Iroh tired to steer Wu to bed he looked over his shoulder. “Joining?” he said. “We’re only sleeping, Wu’s way too drunk.”

“Yeah,” Mako said, following the other to bed. He thought it would be more awkward but it was no different to the last time Mako had slept in this bed. It just had one extra prince in it.

“So, what was it you wanted to tell us?” Korra asked, as she sat in the chair across from Mako.

Asami took the seat next to her. Bolin was already siting on Mako’s left, with Wu and Iroh on his right.

“Yeah,” Mako said, “so things have settled down a bit and I thought I’d introduce you all to my boyfriends.”

The three traded glances with each other in surprise.

“Plural?” Asami asked.

“Yeah,” Mako said, “it’s been complicated. At first, I was dating Wu and Wu was dating Iroh but eventually Iroh and I grew close enough that we started feeling comfortable enough to start calling what we had a relationship but anyway, I’m dating both of them now. All of us are dating each other. I’m going to stop before I confuse myself trying to explain.”

“Alright,” Korra said, looking between them hesitantly. “Shame we didn’t know about this back when the three of us were screwing everything up.”

“No,” Mako said, not even wanting to imagine what they would have done with such knowledge as teenagers. “That would have crashed and burned quickly. Have you not seen how possessive your girlfriend was then? How possessive you were then? It would have ended in disaster.”

“Good point,” Korra said, laughing.

“Well, if you’re happy, I’m happy,” Bolin said.

Mako looked over at his boyfriends. Wu beamed up at him and Iroh winked before blowing a kiss.

“Yeah,” he said, turning back to Bolin. “I’m happy, even if they drive me nuts.”

“Hey!” Iroh and Wu objected.

“I’m kidding,” Mako said. “You know I love you, rudeness and all.”

“And we love you,” Iroh said, pressing a kiss to the top of Mako’s head, as Wu planted a sloppy kiss on Mako’s cheek.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope y'all like it.


End file.
